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September 25, 2025JOB VACANCIES, JULY 2025 Monthly (July 2025 vs June 2025, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia had 14,690 job vacancies in July 2025 with a vacancy rate of 3.2%, same as 3.2% in June and the highest among provinces.
Canadian employers were actively recruiting for 469,900 positions in July with the national job vacancy rate edging down to 2.6% (from 2.7% in June). Six provinces reported lower job vacancy rates in July, while two provinces reported no change in job vacancy rates and New Brunswick reported an increase from the previous month. The lowest vacancy rate was in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Note: Data for Prince Edward Island was not published for July.
When compared to June 2025, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia was unchanged in July. National job vacancies fell 4.2% (-20,610 vacant positions). Job vacancies fell in six provinces with the fastest decline in Newfoundland and Labrador. New Brunswick and British Columbia reported the only gains in vacancies compared to June.
Year-over-year (July 2025 vs July 2024)
When compared to July 2024, the job vacancy rate in Nova Scotia grew 0.3 percentage points. Nationally, the job vacancy rate declined 0.5 percentage points compared to July 2024. All provinces except Nova Scotia reported lower job vacancy rates compared to one year ago. British Columbia reported the largest percentage point reduction in the job vacancy rate.
Note: Data for Prince Edward Island was not published for July.
When compared to July 2024, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia grew 7.9% or by 1,075 vacancies. National job vacancies declined 14.5% or by 79,400 vacant positions. All provinces, except Nova Scotia, reported declines in the number of vacancies over the twelve-month period ending in July, led by British Columbia. Alberta reported the smallest decline in job vacancies compared to July 2024.
Trend
Nationally, job vacancy rates have trended downward after peaking in April-May 2022.
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate peaked in the spring of 2022 and has also been on a downward trend. Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate has been above the national average for the most recent four months.
Nova Scotia's job vacancies peaked at 22,775 in July 2022 and have been trending down. Job vacancies have declined at a slower pace from the end of 2023 through 2024. Job vacancies have risen since April and stabilized in the last month.
Canada job vacancy rate and job vacancies by industry, July 2025
Nationally, accommodation/food services, health care/social assistance and personal/repair services had the highest job vacancy rates. The lowest vacancy rates were in education, company management, utilities, and mining/oil/gas. Information/culture and personal/repair reported higher job vacancy rates compared to one year ago, while utilities, manufacturing, finance/insurance, and professional/technical services were unchanged. All other industries reported lower job vacancy rates compared to one year ago at the national level.
Health care and social assistance had the highest number of vacancies at 92,815 in July 2025 and experienced the most significant decline in the number of vacancies.
Notes: The job vacancy rate is the percentage of job positions (both filled and vacant) that are vacant. A higher job vacancy rate indicates a tighter labour market where it is more difficult for employers to find suitable candidates for the positions offered. A lower job vacancy rate signals labour market slack and potentially more job seekers competing for each vacant position.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection was suspended from April to October 2020. There remains a break in this data series.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0432-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, and job vacancy rate by provinces and territories, monthly, adjusted for seasonality, Table 14-10-0406-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, and job vacancy rate by industry sector, monthly, adjusted for seasonality
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